Women’s Soccer Drops Tough Contest to UConn 1-0

Thursday, October 25

Temple Sports Complex

3:30 P.M.

Temple University

7-10-1

UConn

4-13

UCONN

Temple University

Photo by: Carli Showmaker

Women’s Soccer Drops Tough Contest to UConn 1-0

10.25.18 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA— Temple women's soccer (7-10-1, 3-5-1 AAC) competed in a tough, physical battle against the UConn Huskies (4-13, 2-6 AAC) in their final home game of the season. A late UConn goal with six minutes left to play ended up being the game-winner.

Keys to the Match
> Temple had great opportunities to get on the scoresheet throughout the match, but the Owls' full-team defensive effort shined this afternoon. The squad thwarted threatening set pieces and blocked numerous shots to keep them locked 0-0 with the Huskies for the majority of the contest.
> The deciding goal came in the 84th minute. UConn's Sophia Danyko-Kulchycky served a free kick into the box, the ball took an unfortunate bounce off a Temple player and found the back of the net to put the Huskies up 1-0.

Match Notes
> The Owls registered nine shots, with four on goal, in the match, but that does not fully represent the quality of chances Temple had to get on the board. Many of those chances came off set pieces served by Emily Keitel. In the ninth minute of action, the Owls earned a corner kick. Keitel served the ball into the box and found the head of Aisha Brown. Brown attempted to direct the ball on goal, but it veered wide left of the post. Just 13 minutes later, Keitel sent a corner into the box. It popped around a bit, but Jules Blank got a foot on it and fired a shot from a few yards out. Her attempt was blocked by an UConn defender. In the 41st minute, Keitel took a free kick from 10 yards into the Owl's defensive territory. Her long ball found Gabriela Johnson mid run. Johnson handled the ball and found herself one-on-one with the keeper. She rocketed a shot, but the keeper deflected it.
> One of the best looks on goal for Temple came in the 51st minute. A rapid sequence unfolded, as Kerri McGinley broke free from her defender and ripped a shot from close range. Her attempt was deflected by the UConn keeper. Morgan Morocco collected the deflection and levied a shot of her own, but it fell wide left of the goal.
> As a team, Temple blocked six of UConn's 16 shots. This illustrates the cohesive defensive effort that has been as strength for the Owls all season.
> The squad made several key defensive plays to keep the Huskies scoreless for the majority of the match. UConn was awarded a free kick at the top of the box during the 15th minute. They took the opportunity to put in a shot. It dinged off the right post and into dangerous position in the box. Brown was well-positioned to clear it. In the 66th minute, UConn fired a shot inside the box. Kelcie Dolan made a defensive save on the goal line to prevent a Huskies' goal.
> Goalkeeper Morgan Basileo came up big for the Owls and tallied four saves on the day. In the 36th minute, UConn's Pato Jerzak got free from her defender and challenged Basileo. Jerzak launched a shot, but Basileo stood firm and deflected the attempt. Fifteen minutes later, a streaking UConn player fired a shot at close range. Basileo blocked the initial attempt and then collected the ball.

Quotable
> "We kept playing right until the last second," said head coach Seamus O'Connor. "Even when we went down 1-0, there was no quit in this team. They could have fallen apart, but we made some quick attacking changes and they adjusted tremendously well. They are just warriors. They continue to fight, even when they get a body blow like that. They still believed with five minutes to go that they would get one back. They never stopped."